For some, checking into a hotel is a license to sit back, relax and order room service. For others, a hotel simply provides the necessities from home – a shower, bed and WiFi – to be accessed in between meetings.   

No matter the reason for your stay, a hotel staff’s No. 1 priority is making your stay enjoyable. Here are a few tips to ensure your role as a guest also is worthy of a five-star review.

Recognize exceptional service (tip!).

Housekeepers – the front-line employees who stock your room with travel-sized consumables – arguably have one of the hardest jobs in the business. They clean between 15 and 30 rooms in an eight-hour shift, and a lot of work goes into making hotel rooms look pristine and comfortable.

Many hotels provide tipping envelopes either bedside or on a desk. Consider leaving $2-3 per night for each day your room is cleaned. If you have multiple guests or require a crib or rollaway bed to be set up, take that into account. As the schedules and room assignments of housekeepers vary, tipping daily is the best way to ensure employees don’t get passed over.

Other tipping guidelines:

  • Valet (paid upon pick-up): $3-$7
  • Bellhops: $1-$2 per bag
  • Bag storage: $1-$2 per bag
  • Food and beverage staff: 15-20 percent of your bill
  • Spa services: 15 percent of your treatments

Pick up after yourself.

Don’t leave your suitcase on the bed or piles of dirty laundry on the floor. It creates an obstacle course and tripping hazard for housekeepers who are trying to make your bed and vacuum. Also, keep your toiletries and other travel essentials tidy so that wiping down a countertop and bathroom sink isn’t a complicated task. Oh, and don’t forget to flush the toilet after each use. (Unfortunately, this does warrant a mention!)

Participate in eco-friendly programs.

Many hotels give guests the option to opt out of daily room cleaning. While housekeepers rely on unkempt rooms for a paycheck, if you’re staying for just a couple of nights, it’s OK to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign. If you’d like your room cleaned, you can still let the housekeeper know that you plan to use the towel again by hanging it up. Also, remember to conserve energy by turning off the lights, television and air conditioning when you’re not in the room.

Be neighborly.

Staying in a hotel usually means that you have “neighbors” above you, below you, on either side of you and across the hall. Keep your music, laughter and door slamming in check. Abiding by this courtesy may net you a few smiles at breakfast.

Extend the same politeness to the hotel staff. A simple please, thank you or even a smile goes a long way. They aim to please you, so being friendly and appreciative is an easy way to help brighten their day.